Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-04-07
Costly Ancient Blades.

Alongside the modern life-guard's
sword, forty inches long, and the
lighter infantry sword, thirty-three
inches in length, Messrs. Wilkinson dis
play many antique weapons, says the
Pail Mall Gazette. There are genuine
specimens OF the famous Andrea Fer
rara, which were so priced in Scotland
in the old fighting days, and which are
now used to some extent by officers
in the British army. The quality of
these swords show how little effect
time has upon good metal and sound
workmanship. Claymores hang on the
walls beside the formidable Locha-
Der AK. A huge Swiss tN o-handed
sword, which it must have taken
a giant to WELD, did service in
the fourteenth century against the
Austrians. Even n of the famous
Damascus blades is in the catalogue.
When Timur Lung conqured Syria in
the beginning of the fifteenth century
he carried off all the manufacturers
of steel into Persia, and their success
sors, having been dispersed all over
the east, are said to have lost the Sc
cret of making blades OF more than
ordinary quality, since which time the
manufacture of genuine Damascus
blades has declined, although there
are many limitations. With respect
to the genuine blades it must be re-
membered that a good deal of exag-
geration has been INDUCED in. At the
time when the natives OF the east were
well acquainted with the art of work
ing in iron and steel We, and indeed all
Europe, were in a state of perfect ig-
norance. When the old Damascus
blades were therefore opposed
to those of Other countries
they were found to be infinitely
superior in temper and quality. and
the extraordinary prices that were OF.
.ered and paid for them toften as
much as $500 sufficiently attest the
estimation in which they were held.
In the present day swords of equal or
superior quality are manufactured at
one-hundredth part OF the cost. In
some respects the best even of our
present light regulation blades are at
a disadvantage when opposed to the
heavy curveQ eastern cimeter, but
they have the advantage that they
can be used for thrusting, which, al
though unknown In eastern swords
manship, is by far the most deadly
form of attack. A European cuts on
ly or mainly from the wrist, knowing
that il he lifts the arm too far from
its position OF guard ne exposes him
self to a thrust that would probably
be fatal. On the other hand, an east
ern swordsman, who seldom
guards himself with his sword, but
is provided with shield and gaunt-
let's to resist a cut, has his
sword ground as sharp as a razor and
cuts from the shoulder only, bringing
into action all the strong muscles of
the forearm and back, the small hilJ
of his sword allowing no play what
ever to the wrist. As to the jowher
or water of the genuine Damascus
blade this is attributable to the ma
ture of the iron ore used and the
method OF converting it into steel.
The late Mr.. Henry Wilkinson went
thoroughly into the question, and OBJ
tanned specimens of Indian wootz or
cake steel, and proved by making
blades from it That the figure so
sought after existed in the steel itself,
and to be developed required only the
action of light and a chemical called
kusees.
Among other curiosities worth not
ing is a fierce Mahratta weapon cali
ed a wakdah, or tiger-claw, which the
user holds in his hand, affixed by two
rings to his fingers. With a traitor
Gus embrace he clasps his victim and
tears him open. A knife penetrating
a dollar is a reminder of the old
Spanish buccaneers test OF the sound
ness of his blade, and a proof of the
quality of the steel OF the day.